The Old Man Is Snoring

"It's raining.  It's pouring.  The old man is snoring.  He sat up in bed and bumped his head and couldn't get up in the morning."

I wonder how many of us recited this ditty as children, and do kids still say it when the rains come?  It was a good day to stay inside yesterday.  I'd received a challenge to bet on the Steelers-Raiders game from my son Pete, so I was obliged to switch back and forth between football and NASCAR.  It was one hellah good game and the Steelers won!  Unfortunately, I'd given Pete six points so I still lost.  I now owe Pete one macaroon cookie (he'd have owed me a dollar).  As the saying goes, I'd rather owe him than cheat him out of it.  NASCAR had a nail-biter of a finish, with Jimmy Johnson fighting his way to the checkered flag.  The icing on the cake was that the Vikings also won.  Did I mention I am a fan of football and all kinds of racing?

The skies opened up about three o'clock.  By three-thirty, it was about as dark as it was going to get and I went out to put the kids to bed early.  The girls are never so glad to see me as when I show up on a wet day to let them into the barn.  With almost perfect timing, Linda came during a lull in the rain to pick up the rest of her belongings.  It's good to know that she won't be far away.

I need to get new recliners.  The ones I have are pretty shot, but it's hard to find the oversize kind.  I couldn't settle for the narrow-seat bun-huggers because I'm rarely in my chair alone.  There must be room for me, Bessie Anne, and Ralph and Celeste.  Last night with the rain coming down and the wood stove glowing, it was nice to have my little family snuggling on my lap and legs.  I don't know about the old man, but the four of us were snoring in no time flat.

It was a good day.